Patents by Inventor Robert V. Tompson, Jr.

Robert V. Tompson, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10373723
    Abstract: The invention provides methods, devices and systems for excimer fluorescence energy conversion from isotopes. Unprocessed spent nuclear fuel can be used as an isotope, and processed spent nuclear fuel can be used as an isotope. A method includes placing an excimer in the path of radiation decay from the isotope. The excimer is selected according to the isotope to absorb the radiation decay and emit photons in response. Surrounding environment is shielded from the radiation decay. Photons generated from the fluorescence of the excimer are received with photovoltaic material to generate electrical energy. The electrical energy is applied to a load. Systems of the invention can be based upon spent storage casks and handle unprocessed spent nuclear fuel, or can be greatly reduced in size and handle processed fuel, with single isotope isolation allowing consumer battery sized systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Robert V. Tompson, Jr., Mark A. Prelas
  • Patent number: 9329223
    Abstract: A method for detecting surface and bulk deep states in semiconductor materials is provided. In various embodiments, the method comprises configuring a detection circuit of charge based deep level transient spectrometer in one of a parallel mode and a series mode by controlling the configuration of a switching circuit of the detection circuit. The method additionally comprises generating digitized voltage charge outputs of a device under test utilizing the detection circuit as controlled via execution of an analog-to-digital conversion and timing program by a control system of the charge based deep level transient spectrometer. Furthermore, the method comprises obtaining desired information about deep level transients of the device under test based on the digitized voltage charge outputs via execution of a control system operable to execute a Q-DLTS data analysis program by the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Daniel E. Montenegro, Jason B. Rothenberger, Mark A. Prelas, Robert V Tompson, Jr., Annie Tipton
  • Publication number: 20160093411
    Abstract: The invention provides methods, devices and systems for excimer fluorescence energy conversion from isotopes. Unprocessed spent nuclear fuel can be used as an isotope, and processed spent nuclear fuel can be used as an isotope. A method includes placing an excimer in the path of radiation decay from the isotope. The excimer is selected according to the isotope to absorb the radiation decay and emit photons in response. Surrounding environment is shielded from the radiation decay. Photons generated from the fluorescence of the excimer are received with photovoltaic material to generate electrical energy. The electrical energy is applied to a load. Systems of the invention can be based upon spent storage casks and handle unprocessed spent nuclear fuel, or can be greatly reduced in size and handle processed fuel, with single isotope isolation allowing consumer battery sized systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Robert V. Tompson, JR., Mark A. Prelas
  • Patent number: 8394711
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of simultaneously co-doping a wide band gap material with p-type and n-type impurities to create a p-n junction within the resulting wide band gap composite material. The method includes disposing a sample comprising a dopant including both p-type and n-type impurities between a pair of wide band gap material films and disposing the sample between a pair of opposing electrodes; and subjecting the sample to a preselected vacuum; and heating the sample to a preselected temperature; and applying a preselected voltage across the sample; and subjecting the sample to at least one laser beam having a preselected intensity and a preselected wavelength, such that the p-type and n-type impurities of the dopant substantially simultaneously diffuse into the wide band gap material films resulting in a wide band gap compound material comprising a p-n junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Mark A. Prelas, Tushar K. Ghos, Robert V. Tompson, Jr., Dabir S. Viswanath, Sudarshan Loyalka
  • Publication number: 20130054177
    Abstract: A method for detecting surface and bulk deep states in semiconductor materials is provided. In various embodiments, the method comprises configuring a detection circuit of charge based deep level transient spectrometer in one of a parallel mode and a series mode by controlling the configuration of a switching circuit of the detection circuit. The method additionally comprises generating digitized voltage charge outputs of a device under test utilizing the detection circuit as controlled via execution of an analog-to-digital conversion and timing program by a control system of the charge based deep level transient spectrometer. Furthermore, the method comprises obtaining desired information about deep level transients of the device under test based on the digitized voltage charge outputs via execution of a control system operable to execute a Q-DLTS data analysis program by the control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
    Inventors: Daniel E. Montenegro, Jason B. Rothenberger, Mark A. Prelas, Robert V. Tompson, JR., Annie Tipton
  • Publication number: 20110237057
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of simultaneously co-doping a wide band gap material with p-type and n-type impurities to create a p-n junction within the resulting wide band gap composite material. The method includes disposing a sample comprising a dopant including both p-type and n-type impurities between a pair of wide band gap material films and disposing the sample between a pair of opposing electrodes; and subjecting the sample to a preselected vacuum; and heating the sample to a preselected temperature; and applying a preselected voltage across the sample; and subjecting the sample to at least one laser beam having a preselected intensity and a preselected wavelength, such that the p-type and n-type impurities of the dopant substantially simultaneously diffuse into the wide band gap material films resulting in a wide band gap compound material comprising a p-n junction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
    Inventors: Mark A. Prelas, Tushar K. Ghos, Robert V. Tompson, JR., Dabir S. Viswanath, Sudarshan Loyalka
  • Patent number: 7649359
    Abstract: A chemical and biological agent sensor includes an electrostatic thin film supported by a substrate. The film includes an electrostatic charged surface to attract predetermined biological and chemical agents of interest. A charge collector associated with said electrostatic thin film collects charge associated with surface defects in the electrostatic film induced by the predetermined biological and chemical agents of interest. A preferred sensing system includes a charge based deep level transient spectroscopy system to read out charges from the film and match responses to data sets regarding the agents of interest. A method for sensing biological and chemical agents includes providing a thin sensing film having a predetermined electrostatic charge. The film is exposed to an environment suspected of containing the biological and chemical agents. Quantum surface effects on the film are measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Mark A. Prelas, Tushar K. Ghosh, Robert V. Tompson, Jr., Dabir Viswanath, Sudarshan K. Loyalka
  • Patent number: 6632768
    Abstract: An adsorbent for HC in an exhaust gas is an agglomerate of double-structure particles, each of which includes an HC-adsorbing zeolite core, and a ceramic coat wrapping the zeolite core and having a plurality of through-pores communicating with a plurality of pores in the zeolite core. Each of the double-structure particles is at least one of a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a single zeolite particle, and a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a plurality of zeolite particles. Each of the through-pores in the ceramic coat has such a shape that the HC is easy to flow into the through-pore and difficult to flow out of the through-pore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignees: University of Missouri-Columbia, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sudarshan Loyalka, Tushar Ghosh, Robert V. Tompson, Jr., George Vosnidis, Gregory A. Holscher, Hiroshi Ogasa, Tetsuo Endo
  • Patent number: 6527854
    Abstract: A low free energy method for more rapidly diffusing an impurity as exemplified by boron, into a natural or synthetic diamond or other crystalline element in powdered or granular form, without degradation of the crystalline structure. The present method includes the steps of providing a mixture of the diamond or other crystalline element and the impurity in a solid phase; treating the mixture to bring the impurity into conforming contact with the outer surface of the crystalline element; and heating the mixture to a temperature between about 200° C. and about 2000° C. As an example, a diamond is disclosed having boron as an impurity diffused into the crystalline structure thereof by the present method, at a ratio of from about 0.1 part of the impurity per 1 million parts of the diamond to about 600 parts of the impurity per 1 million parts of the diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Inventors: Mark A. Prelas, Fariborz Golshani, Robert V. Tompson, Jr.